“It’s honestly a feeling I can’t really describe,” Denney said. “It’s one of the greatest feelings to finish off the season with a W.”

While Denney was used in many different styles, fellow senior Logan Strader bore the brunt of the load for the Falcons run game, tallying 27 carries for 116 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

It was a familiar scene for Strader and the Falcons as they started off sluggish, only to turn up the jets as the game went on.

“I don’t know, they stopped us a couple times and then it was just effort plays,” Strader said. “Nobody had the effort in that first quarter, but we really picked it up. The lineman against the linebackers, and when we started getting one-on-one with their safety’s and corners, it was over from there.”

The Falcons broke through with the first score of the game midway in the first quarter on a 26-yard rushing touchdown from Strader.

The Wildcats (4-6, 2-3 PAC) answered right back with a 56-yard pass from senior quarterback Bobby Weber to Justin Able. The huge play quieted the jam-packed senior night crowd, evening the game at 7-7.

Weber finished with six carries for 21 yards and one touchdown, while going 6-of-12 for 114 yards a touchdown and an interception through the air, while Able tallied four catches for 109 yards and a touchdown.

The Wildcats made a couple of big plays, showing they weren’t going to go down without a fight.

“I’m proud of my team. I’m proud of my kids. I’m proud of the way we grew throughout the season,” Keystone coach Don Griswold said. “Anyone who watched this game knows it was much closer than 31-13.”

Looking to take back the lead, the Falcons came up big as Michael Bansek, on the verge of getting leveled, heaved a pass to the end zone into the waiting hands of Denney for the 36-yard score, putting the Falcons back up, 14-7.

The closing minutes of the second-half sent waves of emotion throughout the stadium as Richard Maggard made an unbelievable catch behind the defenders back in the corner of the end zone. But after a quick discussion the referees ruled it incomplete. Maggard finished with two catches for 26 yards and one touchdown for Firelands.

After the play was called off, the Falcons settled for a 28-yard field goal from Luke Peterson.

Minutes later, Keystone’s Justin Able returned a kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown, only to have it too be waved off by two personal foul calls.

After the back-and-forth sway of momentum, Firelands took a 17-7 lead into halftime.

With both teams struggling through most of the third quarter, Keystone’s Weber found his way into the end zone with a five-yard touchdown run, but had his kick blocked by Strader, preserving a 17-13 Firelands lead.

With 46 seconds left in the third quarter, Strader brought the fans to their feet with a 49-yard touchdown run.

Strader, like many of the Falcons, has embraced Firelands coach Ryan O’ Rourke in his first season.

“We took him in right away,” Strader said. “He obviously knows what he is doing.”

The Falcon’s proceeded to initiate their ground-and-pound style offense, wearing down the Wildcats in the second half.

A big part of that was senior Landon Peterson, who notched six first downs on only eight carries and 37 yards.

The Falcons reached into their bag of tricks in the fourth quarter as Luke Peterson went to attempt a 25-yard field goal, only to have it turn into a fake, resulting in a touchdown pass from holder Bansek to Maggard.